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† THE GLASS FACTORY. †
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¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ AND A GIFT SHOP. §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-=†$§## THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨.-=†$§### MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ###§$†=-.¨
¨¨.-=†$§## CONSIDERED POOR. ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-=†$§## †† ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨.-=†$§### †† †† ###§$†=-.¨
¨¨.-=†$§## ------- † † ------- ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# †† †† #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ †† §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-=†$§## IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨.-=†$§### WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ###§$†=-.¨
¨¨.-=†$§## OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-=†$§## OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨.-=†$§### ###§$†=-.¨
¨¨.-=†$§## †† ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# †† †† #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ ------- † † ------- §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ †† †† $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† †† †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-=†$§## THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨.-=†$§### A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ###§$†=-.¨
¨¨.-=†$§## SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# FLOOR. #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-=†$§## ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨.-=†$§### HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ###§$†=-.¨
¨¨.-=†$§## KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= BECOME STILL. =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ †† $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ †† †† §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# ------- † † ------- #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-=†$§## †† †† ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨.-=†$§### †† ###§$†=-.¨
¨¨.-=†$§## ##§$†=-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-=†$§# A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, #§$†=-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-= I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE =-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-=† THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? †=-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-=†$ $†=-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-=†$§ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. §$†=-.¨¨¨¨
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